Gold Baton Award

The 2009 Gold Baton was presented to Henry Fogel. (Seen here at Conference 2009 in Chicago with League board member Albert K. Webster and Jesse Rosen, League president and CEO).

Previous Awardees

2015Anne-Marie Soullière, retired president, Fidelity Foundation, awarded the Gold Baton for her lifetime of passionate support for music, enlightened leadership of the Fidelity Foundation, and wise, sympathetic counsel to numerous musical leaders.

2014Wayne S. Brown, Director of Music and Opera for the National Endowment for the Arts for almost 17 years, and currently President and CEO of the Michigan Opera Theatre, awarded the Gold Baton and honored as a steadfast friend to orchestras nationwide, a fearless advocate, and a cherished advisor to countless colleagues.

Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras, awarded the Gold Baton for 50 years of strengthening orchestras by championing the invaluable work of America's orchestra volunteers.

2012Helen J. DeVos

2011Fred Zenone American Public Media and Minnesota Public Radio

2010We recognize Ford Motor Company Fund for its extraordinary support of and commitment to Ford Made in America, a grassroots initiative that led to the formation of he largest orchestra commissioning consortium in American history and brought the vibrant energy of new orchestral music to communities in all 50 states.

We also recognize the Nation’s Smaller-Budget Orchestras for their vision and leadership in creating Ford Made in America, which inspired America’s orchestras to collaborate in commissioning extraordinary new works by composers Joan Tower and Joseph Schwantner. With performances of Tower’s Made in America and Schwantner’s Chasing Light… in all 50 states, these orchestras have engaged audiences, sparked interest in, and connected their communities to new music.

2009Henry Fogel, former president and CEO of the League, and current dean and distinguished professor of the arts at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts.

2008America’s youth orchestras, for the critical role they play in sustaining arts education, and for continually developing the musicians, audience members, and orchestra supporters of tomorrow. (The Gold Baton was accepted by Louis Scaglione, Chairman, League of American Orchestras Youth Orchestra Division, on behalf of America’s youth orchestras.)

2007 Kenneth Schermerhorn, Whose vibrant musical leadership of the New Jersey, Milwaukee, and Nashville Symphony Orchestras inspired extraordinary artistic quality and established their national stature

2006 John Williams, Composer and conductor, whose orchestral music for film, television and concert hall is an indelible part of America’s cultural fabric, inspiring millions of listeners worldwide

2005 Leonard Slatkin, Whose imaginative musical leadership has served America’s orchestras, composers and young conductors with unparalleled vision and passion

The National Arts Caucus, For steadfast leadership, advocacy, and unfailing commitment to national policies that improve access to the arts for all Americans

1995 Corporation for Public Broadcasting, for a generation of access to high quality concert broadcasts and cultural news that has fostered a climate of public support for America’s symphony orchestras

1994 Josef Gingold, Soloist, Orchestra Violinist, Concertmaster, Professor of Violin, who by his inspiration and example has enriched orchestras everywhere.

1993 New York Philharmonic, in celebration of its 150 years of artistic excellence, leadership and service

1992 Meet the Composer

1991 Robert Ward

1990 Carnegie Hall, for one hundred years of celebrating America’s orchestras and the music they play

1989 Ralph Black (posthumous)

1988 Robert Shaw

1987 Isaac Stern, Musician, Humanitarian, and Guardian of the Arts

Betty Freeman, patron of new music, for distinguished service to America’s music

1986 Margaret Lee Crofts, Paul Fromm, and Francis Goelet, patrons of new music, for distinguished service to America’s music

1985 William Schuman, Composer, Educator, Leader, ever distinguished by his music and a life dedicated to his art

1984 Danny Newman, arts consultant, whose enthusiasm for subscription has helped orchestras bring their music to millions of listeners in the United States and Canada

Merrill Lynch, securities and investment banking firm, for making a sound investment in American symphony orchestras

1982 The Honorable Sidney R. Yates, U.S. Congressman from Illinois, whose dedicated leadership in Congress has helped build and preserve the Federal government’s commitment to the arts

1981 Maurice Abravanel, Music Director Laureate of the Utah Symphony, orchestra builder, orchestra advocate – for a lifetime of singular devotion to the advancement of all orchestras

1980 Beverly Sills, for her cultivation and captivation of new audiences for the arts for over 30 years

The Minnesota Five Percent Club, for setting a standard of excellence among businesses in support of the arts

1979 Eugene Ormandy, Conductor Laureate of the Philadelphia Orchestra, for setting a standard of excellence for nearly half a century

The Bell System, for bringing fine concert performances to millions of Americans through the American Orchestras on Tour program

1978 Aaron Copland, Composer and conductor, a musician sensitive to the sounds of America

Exxon Corporation, for outstanding leadership and vision in support of the arts, especially the Exxon/Arts Endowment Conductors Program

1977 Avery Fisher, Friends of Music, Musicians, and Music lovers

Alcoa Foundation, for the distinguished television series “Previn and the Pittsburgh”

1976 Arthur Fiedler, Musician, Conductor, Friend, who has enriched all our lives as Ambassador of Music to America

1975 John S. Edwards, Manager of the Chicago Symphony, for 40 distinguished years of leadership to symphony orchestras. A Patron of the Arts. A Man for All Seasons

1974 Nancy Hanks and the National Council on the Arts, who have opened the doors to the Golden Age in music and the arts in America

1973 Danny Kaye, who waves a magic wand over the symphony orchestras of America and turns them into happier, healthier organizations

1972 Amyas Ames, a true citizen-soldier in the tradition of Cincinnatus, he has rallied the hopes of all musical organizations through the Partnership of the Arts

1971 Martha Baird Rockefeller, for a lifetime of generous support of the world of symphony orchestras which she underscored in her final bequests

1970 Helen M. Thompson, for leadership and guidance of the American Symphony Orchestra League from a small organization to the most representative professional group in the performing arts field in the United States

1969 The New York State Council on the Arts, for successfully encouraging local participation in the support of the arts and for increased state financial support of the arts

1968 Leopold Stokowski, for the imaginative leadership he has given to symphony orchestra development in America, and his initiation and direction of the American Symphony Orchestra’s program of study and career opportunities for young conductors and orchestra players

Mrs. Jouett Shouse, for her cultural leadership and gifts of lands and facilities for the establishment of the Filene Center and the Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts, America’s first National Park devoted to the performing arts

1967 American Telephone & Telegraph Company, in recognition of its exploration of the world of music through the televised Bell Telephone Hour documentaries

1966 The Ford Foundation, in recognition of its development of the Endowment Program for symphony orchestras

1965 American Federation of Musicians, in recognition of its development and sponsorship of the String Congress

1964 Dr. Richard Lert, Music Director, Pasadena Symphony, for his extensive work in training, teaching and coaching young musicians and conductors